In fall, bugs and mammals enter homes to escape the cold temperatures. If you haven't recently worked to seal your exterior walls and foundation, your wall voids and attic crawl spaces are sure to have pests. Thankfully, there are a couple of constructive things you can do to protect your family.

Don't invite the pests to come out of your walls and attic.

Many pests overwinter. That means they go into a low-energy state called diapause and hunker down till the cold season has passed. For many homes, those bugs won't be a problem till spring. But under the right conditions, overwintering bugs and mammals will enter into living spaces. Here is a short list of things that will draw them out.

• An open trash can in the kitchen.

• Globs of ketchup, jelly, or other food products left on kitchen counters.

• Powdered sugar, juices spills, grains, cereals, crumbs, and other food particles on your floors, or in your rugs.

• Stacked dirty dishes with food left stuck to them.

• Fruit left out on the table or counter.

• Food in your pantry, especially if it is expired. Store food in hard plastic containers, and use older food first, this will reduce the smells that lure pests out.

If you keep things clean and put food away in plastic bags and seal trash cans, those overwintering pests won't be drawn out of the walls and given the energy to drive you crazy all winter.

Consider getting pest insulation.

The single best investment you can make in your home is pest insulation. This insulation, with its locking fibers, creates a barrier that prevents heat transfer. That means your home is cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. It also means savings on your energy bills. And while this insulation is paying for itself, the borates in it will protect your home from termites and other wood-eating insects, deter the spread of fire, kill cockroaches, and discourage rodents. When it comes to preventing overwintering pests, pest insulation is the way to go.

If you do one or both of the suggestions above, you can reduce winter stress and protect your family from the illnesses that bugs and rodents spread. You'll also be protecting your home and belongings from termites, silverfish, ants, and other destructive insects. Make this winter the last winter you put up with pests.